Device for installing roller jewels or the like



April '23; 1957 F. VITEZ DEVICE FOR INSTALLING ROLLER JEWELS OR THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Shea,- 1'

Filed 001;. 9, 1952 'INVENTOR Fiank V/ DEVICE FOR INSTALLING ROLLER JEWELS OR THE LIKE Frank Vitez, Latrobe, Pa.

Application October 9, 1952, Serial No. 313,860

Claims. (Cl. 81-7) This invention relates to a device for installing roller jewels or the like. More particularly, it pertains to an instrument for carrying and setting relatively small jewels and pins in time-keeping mechanisms or the like.

Roller jewels, impulse pins and other such radial or axial projections which may be employed in time-keeping mechanisms, escape movements and related assemblies are frequently so small, particularly in the case of ladies watches, that they cannot readily be handled with conventional watch-making tools. Moreover, the axial setting and, in some cases, the angular setting of such jewels and pins must bear a prescribed relation to the associated parts. The difliculties of installing such jewels and pins ited States Patent and like members are enhanced by the great variety of differences in dimension either by way of diameter or thickness or by way of length or by way of a combination of the various dimensions.

The present invention provides a new instrument capable of holding a wide variety of jewels and pins in a desired angular and axial position and to set such pins with precision and under a positive pressure in the mechanisms with which they are to be respectively associated. Further, in removing the instrument after releasing the jewel or pin, no displacement of the mechanism being assembled, occurs. Adjusting the new instrument for a different size of jewel or pin is readily performed. Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the drawings which are not to scale and are illustrative only in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of a new device made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view in cross section of the new structure shown in Figure 1 taken along line II-II of Figure 1 with the addition that the new device is carrying a jewel or pin for setting in a suitable mechanism;

Figure 3 is a worms eye view of the new structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 holding a jewel or pin as illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view in cross section similar to the view shown in the lower portion of Figure 2, with the jewel or pin being inserted in a roller table of the single roller type;

Figure 5 is a view of the assembly shown in Figure 4 taken along line VV of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 4 omitting the sectioning of any parts;

Figure 7 is a view, partly in cross section, of the lower end of the device shown in Figure 4 after the jewel or pin has been set in place and released and the new instrument withdrawn;

Figure 8 illustrates the operation of the new device in a manner similar to the operation shown in Figures 4 and 6 in connection with the setting of a jewel or pin in a roller table of a double roller type;

Figure 9 is a front view of a further embodiment of a new device made in accordance with this invention;

Figure 10 is a view at cross section of the said further embodiment taken along line XX of Figure 9;

2,789,451 Patented Apr. '23, 1957 Figure 11 is a detailed view taken along line XI-XI of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an enlarged view of the tip of the device shown in Figures 9 to 11 with a jewel held in setting position therein; and

Figure 13 is a view taken along line XIII-X[II of Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings, in the embodiment of the new device of this invention which is illustrated, a hollow stem 10 is provided having a straight longitudinal bore 11 therein. The exterior surface 12 of stem 10 may be circular or polygonal or of any configuration desired. In the embodiment shown, stem 10 is generally circular in cross section with a flat portion 12a at the front thereof. A rabbet 13 is provided at the lower end of stem 10 cutting away the material thereof relatively close to the lower end of bore 11 to enable the new device to operate close to any parts that may protrude in the mechanism in which a jewel 14 or a pin is to be set by the new device. The vertical face 15 of rabbet 13 may be planar or curved forwardly around each side of bore 11 toward the front of the new device as shown by the dotted lines 15a appearing in Figure 3.

The upper end of bore 11 is provided with a female thread 16 which engages a male thread 17 on a setting rod 18. A knurled thumbpiece 19 is afiixed to the rod 18 to rotate it, such rotation in one direction moving rod 18 downwardly in bore 11 and, in the other direction, upwardly in bore 11. Thereby, the length of a jewel 14, for example, which extends below the planar bottom 20 of stem 10 may be precisely determined relative to the depth of the hole or socket in which jewel 14 is to be set. A Window 21 having index markings 22 alongside thereof on face 12a may be used in conjunction with a line 23 around rod 18 to give a visual indication of the exact distance which the planar bottom end 24 of rod 18 may be above plane 20. Since the length of jewels and pins to be set is known, the new device may readily be adjusted by turning thumbpiece 19 to accommodate whichever of the variety of jewels and pins present is to be applied in a watch or other escape or timing mechanism.

In order to hold a jewel 14, the front of the lower end of stem 10 may be drilled at 25 for the passage therethrough of a clamping pin 26 to clamp jewel 14 in a suitable carrying position in the new device. Clamping pin 26 may be rigidly fastened in a block 27 having a bottom face 28 substantially in the plane of bottom 20. Block 27 may be provided with a laterally outstanding flange 29 adjacent the end of the block nearer to stem 10 and, further, with a vertical face 30 toward surface 12a so that amplitude of movement of clamping pin 26 may extend substantially across the entire diameter of bore 11 to take care of jewels and pins of varying diameters. Clamping pin 26 is normally urged into bore 11 by leaf spring 31 or other suitable device aflixed to stem 10 as by a screw 32. The lower end 33 of spring 31 may be bifurcated and extend around the outer and upper side of block 27 so as to engage the outer side of flange 29 for the purpose of pressing pin 26 inwardly, as aforesaid, with the desired pressure.

A transverse recess 34 may be provided across the top of block 27 to enable a lever 35 to move pin 26 outwardly relative to bore 11 either when a new jewel or pin is to be inserted in the bottom of bore 11 or when, after setting such a jewel or pin in place, it is to be released without disturbing the setting. Lever 35 is pivotally mounted in a bracket 36 which may be affixed to face 12a and extends upwardly sufficiently far above pivot 37 to enable stem 10 to be grasped between the thumb and forefinger for operation while permitting the middle or another finger to press the top of lever 35 toward stem 10 for jewel insertion or release purposes as described above. When pressure is removed from lever 35, the spring 31 regains its control pressing pin 26 inwardly into bore 11 to hold a pin or jewel, such as jewel 14, in place when such a pin or jewel is positioned between pin 26 and the opposite side of bore 11 relative to the drilled opening 25. When there is no such pin or jewel in bore 11, the parts of the device will assume the position shown in Figure 7 under the influence of spring 31.

In one operation of the new device, jewel 14 may be a roller pin for a roller table 38 shown in Figures 4 to 6. Roller table 38 may be in a watch mechanism and mounted on a balance staff 39. The table may have a conventional arcuate guard pin recess 4t therein outwardly of a vertical drilled opening ll in which jewel 14 is to be set. As shown in Figure 5, jewel 14 may be truly circular in section with the exception of a flat side 42 along the length thereof. By virtue of the axial adjustment of rod 18, the length of the portion of jewel 14 extending below plane 20 is substantially equal to the depth of the socket in which the jewel is to be set, in this case the socket being the drilled opening 41. Moreover, the diameter of drilled opening 41 is equal to twice the radius of curvature of the curved portion of the jewel 14. Hence, when jewel 1-4 is set, it will be held in table 33 by the frictional fit alone. On the other hand, some adhesive like shellac may be applied to the lower portion of jewel 14 to cement it in socket 41 after it has been accurately set in place.

The actual setting by a new device of this invention takes place in precise alignment with that required by the nature of the mechanism being built or repaired. For example, the inner end 43 of pin 26 .is planar and seats squarely against side 42 of the jewel. Thereby, when jewel 14 is set in socket 41, the new device is pressed down until the bottom plane 20 lightly contacts the top surface 44 of table 38 insuring vertical alignment of jewel 14 relative to the axis of socket 411. Moreover, jewel 14 is angularly oriented by the inner end 43 of pin 26 as described above so that the orientation in an angular sense of the axis of the new device relative to the axis of socket 41 correspondingly faces fiat side 42 in the desired direction. In the case of the illustrated operation, the fiat side is normal to a radius of table 38 through the center of the flat side and of the arcuate recess 40, the flat side 42 facing away from balance staff 39. Moreover, in the course of the setting, axial pressure on thumbpiece 19 and thereby on stem Ill) and rod 18 puts positive downward surface pressure on the upper flat end 45 of jewel 14 until bottom 26? engages surface 44. At that point, pressure on the upper end of lever 35 to move that upper end toward stem it} moves end 43 outwardly away from jewel 14 and allows the device to be lifted off the jewel without touching or any tendency to displace it from its set position. Once removed from the jewel or pin, lever 35 is released and it returns to the position shown in Figure 7.

In the case of the insertion of jewels or pins close to other members of the mechanism being built or repaired, the rabbet 13 is useful. Thus, in the double roller table device shown in Figure 8, a lower roller table 46 and an upper roller table 47 are mounted on a balance staff 48. If a roller pin or jewel is to be set in a socket 49 in the lower roller table 46, it may readily be done by means of the new device as shown in Figure 8 since rabbet 13 provides suitable clearance for the upper roller table 47, thereby allowing the jewel to be set in table 46 in due alignment and orientation as required by the nature of the mechanism.

The further embodiment shown in Figures 9 and has the parts thereof, which correspond generally in construction and functioning to parts of the embodiment illustrated in the prior figures, numbered with the same reference numerals with the addition thereto of a prime factor. The new construction of Figures 9 and 10 may be somewhat simpler to construct than the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1. Moreover, the further embodiment has fewer parts and may be used to set jewels land/or pins of very minute size.

In the further embodiment, a hollow tip Illla may be made from a very fine steel tube welded or otherwise afl'lxed to the bottom of stem 10'. Thus, tip llla constitutes, a portion of stem 10' of greatly reduced diameter. The hollow interior lla of tip lll'a constitutes a bore in alignment with bore 11' but one which also is of a much smaller diameter. Similarly, setting rod 18 may have a coaxial continuation in the form of a tip rod 18'a adapted to be longitudinally adjusted within the bore lla in accordance with the extent and direction of axial movement of rod 18'. As shown, when thumbpiece 19 is turned so as to move rod 18 down into stem 10 as far as it will go, the lower end 24' of rod 18a will preferably be adjacent the bottom surface 20' of tip 10'a. Conversely, when setting rod is as far up as it may be moved and still have threads 16' and 17 in engagement, the bottom end 24' of rod 18'a will still be in bore ll'a, in the upper end thereof.

Tip lll'a is provided with a small opening 25 through which :a clamping pin 26' is movable in a direction normal to and intersecting the axis of bore 11' and llla. Pin 26' may be Welded or riveted at its base 26'a to the bottom of a fiat lever 35'. The amplitude of movement of the bottom of lever 35' where pin 26a is aflixed is not so great as to cause the inner end 43 of pin 26 to move entirely to the outside of tip 10a when moved to a jewel-releasing position although it is sufiicient to substantially entirely withdraw inner end 43 from bore 11a when lever 35' is pressed toward stem 10 above pivot 37'. If desired, a guide flange ZS'a may be aflixed to the outside of stem 10'a around opening 25 as a guide for end 43' of pin 26', as shown in Figures 9 to 13.

An intermediate portion 35'a of lever 35' may be twisted through to form a land, the plane of which passes through the axis of stem 10 and between the outstanding spaced brackets 36' to which lever 35' is pivotally connected by pivot 37. A bow spring 31' may be interposed between the upper part of lever 35 and surface 12"a, which surface in such further embodiment is shown as cylindrical and knurled. Spring 31 is riveted at its upper end to the upper end of lever 35 and normally urges pin 26' into clamping position with the side of bore ll'a opposite to opening 25'. The vertical height of opening 25' is suificient to allow for the slight vertical angularity of the movement of the portion of pin 26 which passes therethrough.

Although the new devices have been described in connection with the building or repair of time-keeping and escape mechanisms utilizing roller jewels or pins, various other applications for the new device Will be obvious, and, various modifications may be made in features of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for setting jewels or the like, in combination, a stem having an axial bore extending there through, a rod having a thread engaging said bore for longitudinal adjustment of said rod relative to said stem to provide a predetermined length of bore beneath said rod for a corresponding longitudinal portion of a jewel, a clamping pin having an inner end extending through said stem and into said bore adjacent the bottom thereof, the axes of said rod and pin intersecting, and resilient means for urging said pin toward clamping engagement relative to the side of said bore beneath and adjacent the lower end of said rod, said side being in opposed relation to said inner end to clamp a jewel inserted into said bore until it engages said lower end of said rod.

2. In a device for setting jewels or the like, in combination, a hollow stem, a rod longitudinally adjustable within said stern, a clamping pin movably extending into the interior of said stern generally at the bottom thereof to hold a jewel or the like against the inside thereof, said rod being positioned to engage the top of a length of said jewel within said stem and thereby regulate the portion of said jewel extending below said stem, resilient means for pressing said pin toward its holding position, and means for moving said pin away from its said holding position at least when said jewel is being inserted in said stem.

3. In a device for setting jewels or the like, in combination, a stem having an axial bore extending entirely therethrough to hold a jewel in the bottom thereof, a rod within said bore and longitudinally adjustable relative thereto to fix the length of the portion of said jewel extending below said stern and push said jewel in setting it in place, a clamping pin movable into said bore to hold said jewel during the carrying and setting thereof, a block rigidly connected to said pin outside of said stern, a spring normally pressing said block and pin into a jewelholding position, and pivotal means to move said block and pin into a jewel-releasing position against the pressure of said spring.

4. In a device for setting jewels or the like, in combination, a stem having an axial bore extending entirely there through to hold a jewel in the bottom thereof, the thickness of said stem being reduced adjacent the bottom thereof to provide a rabbet for close positioning of said device, a rod within said bore and longitudinally adjustable relative thereto to fix the length of the portion of said jewel extending below said stem and push said jewel in setting it in place, a clamping pin movable into said bore to hold said jewel during the carrying and setting thereof, a block rigidly connected to said pin outside of said stem, a spring normally pressing said block and pin into a jewelholding position, and a lever pivotally mounted on said stern and engaging said block to move said block and pin into a jewel-releasing position against the pressure of said spring.

5. In a device for setting jewels or the like, in combination, a stern having an axial bore extending entirely therethrough to hold a jewel in the bottom thereof, said stem and bore being reduced in diameter respectively at at least the lower end of said stem, a rod within said bore and longitudinally adjustable relative thereto to fix the length of the portion of said jewel extending below said stern and push said jewel in setting it in place, a clamping pin movable into said bore to hold said jewe'l during the carrying and setting thereof, a lever pivotally mounted on said stern and rigidly connected to said pin, and a spring interposed between said lever and said stem to normally press said pin into a jewel-holding position when said lever is not pressed to move said pin into a jewel-releasing position against the pressure of said spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 464,870 Heller Dec. 8, 1891 775,253 Scott Nov. 15, 1904 941,831 Widmann Nov. 30, 1908 1,305,881 Cheney June 3, 1919 1,757,120 Helfgott May 6, 1930 

